14th place, 78.7 points

Pros

Cons

Heavy

Expensive

Motor windup causes firing delay

Has trouble in tougher materials

Low magazine capacity

Final Verdict

As a near clone of the DeWalt 20V Max model, the Bostitch 20V Max framing nailer is a good fit for punch lists and remodeling work where you’ll only be working with new softwoods. The weight, firing delay, and lack of full pneumatic power prevent it from being a primary framing nailer.

13th place, 78.9 points

Pros

Cons

Heavy

Expensive

Motor windup causes firing delay

Has trouble in tougher materials

Low magazine capacity

Final Verdict

The DeWalt 20V Max framing nailer has been out for a while now and it’s time to look at upgrading this barrier breaker. It’s a good fit for punch lists and remodeling work where you’ll be working with new SPF. The weight, firing delay, and lack of full pneumatic power hold it back from being a primary framing nailer.

12th place, 80.9 points

Pros

Cons

Heavy

Huge hook gets in the way

Intermittent feeding issues with plastic collated nails

Magazine slide is a little sluggish

Expensive

Low magazine capacity

Very front-heavy balance

Final Verdict

Hitachi makes an excellent run as the best option for a battery-only framing nailer. It solves the issue of firing delay and has enough power to keep up with pneumatics pretty easily. It’s 10-pound+ weight makes it tough to use all day. The massive rafter hook gets in the way and the electronic controls are very difficult to operate with gloves on. Combined with low magazine capacity, it’s going to be best for small jobs even though it has the muscle of a primary framing nailer.

11th place, 81.1 points

Pros

Cons

Rafter hook is fixed, but removable

No dry fire lockout

Magazine base can use some protection

Heavy

Most expensive pneumatic framing nailer tested

Final Verdict

With a heavy weight and average performance, our team feels underwhelmed with this $329 framing nailer. The build quality is definitely there, but you might want to consider spending a little more to move up to the NR90AC5.

10th place, 83.2 points

Pros

Cons

Somewhat expensive

Requires a battery and gas cartridge

Some users dislike the gas exhaust smell

No bump fire mode

Low magazine capacity

Final Verdict

The Paslode Cordless XP framing nailer is the most capable cordless option available with its combination of performance and light weight. What holds it back is a low magazine capacity and lack of a bump fire option. If Paslode decided to upgrade those two areas, this would be a serious primary framing nailer option. As it stands, it’s the best cordless option available, but needs gas cartridges and is still going to be best for smaller jobs.

9th place, 85.2 points

Pros

Less than $200

7-year warranty

Lightweight

Good toenailer

Good visibility around nose

Metal back cap

Tool-free mode change

Cons

Depth adjustment wheel is difficult to turn

No dry fire lockout

Final Verdict

The DeWalt DWF83PL doesn’t have a ton of complaints to go along with it. The nose barb is a little small for toenailing, but it’s still effective. The biggest issue is that the detent on the depth wheel is very tough to overcome – to the point that I finally grabbed a pair of pliers to help. Otherwise, this model is very reminiscent of the older Hitachi NR90, and that’s a compliment.

8th place, 85.3 points

Pros

Easy depth adjustment

Tool-free mode change

Good toenailer

Excellent visibility around nose

Less than $200

Lightweight

Cons

No dry fire lockout

Most recoil in our testing

Final Verdict

Senco hits hard with the FramePro 325FRHXP and while the recoil may have an effect on some users, this is still an excellent choice. With a sub-$200 price point and reasonably light weight, the only real negatives are the lack of a dry fire lockout and more recoil than we felt in the other models.

Paslode PowerMaster Plus F-350S

Model: Paslode F-350S

Power Source: Compressed air

Nail Length Range: 2″-3.5″ in length

Nail Size: .113″ to .131″ shank diameters

Magazine Angle: 30°

Magazine Capacity: 2 strips (up to 84)

Dry Fire Lockout: No

Operating Pressure: 90 – 120 (5.5 – 8.3)

Selectable Trigger: Yes, must change trigger

Exhaust: Adjustable

Weight: 8.41 lbs.

Length: 19-3/8″

Width: 4-7/8″

Height: 13-3/8″

Warranty: 5 years limited on housing and cap parts

Price: $249

7th place, 86.8 points

Pros

Excellent driving strength

Outstanding toenailer

Good visibility around nose

Outstanding recoil control

Cons

Hex wrench required for depth adjustment

Trigger change required for mode change

No dry fire lockout

Final Verdict

Unfortunately for Paslode, the two areas that are an issue are pretty big obstacles for our testing team. Using a hex wrench to adjust the depth and having to swap triggers to change modes caused our testing to get a rating of PG-13 for language. Aside from those points and no dry fire lockout, the rest of the nailer is solid. Despite a somewhat higher price, the F-350S still gets a decent value rating. While this nailer will get the job done, you might also take a look at the Paslode PowerMaster Pro.

6th place, 87.5 points

Pros

Accepts nails up to 0.162″

Easy depth adjustment

Easy tool-free mode change

Outstanding toenailer

Outstanding visibility around nose

Good recoil control

Cons

Heaviest pneumatic nailer tested

Final Verdict

Makita checks off nearly all the boxes with solid performance all around and a feature set that’s only lacking an adjustable exhaust. The major knock against the well-built AN923 is its weight. At 9.26 pounds, it’s the heaviest pneumatic framing nailer we tested. It’s also on the deeper side from tip to nose, which might be a slight irritation in tight spaces. The fact that this nailer has been around for over a decade and still ranks in the top 5 says something about its quality. Even so, rumor has it that there may be a new model on its way sometime in 2018.

Cons

Depth adjustment requires you to push or pull the nose while holding a button

Large head can get in the way

Final Verdict

Bostitch typically puts together a good nailer and the F21PL2 is no exception. With a sub-$200 price tag and 7-year warranty, it has excellent performance in our tests. There are a couple of points of concern, though. The biggest is requiring a trigger change for bump firing. The depth adjustment is more complex than a simple wheel, but you have to pull or push the nose, putting your hand at risk of an accidental firing. Granted, the risk is small, but it’s there. Bostitch also goes with the 1/4″ air inlet that’s more popular on finish nailers. They don’t include one in the kit, so be aware that you’ll need to pick one up. Despite all that, Bostitch’s performance overcomes those cons to give it a respectable 4th place finish.

Ridgid 21° 3-1/2″ Round-Head Framing Nailer

Model: Ridgid R350RHF

Power Source: Compressed air

Nail Length Range: 2″-3.5″

Nail Size: .113″-.148″

Magazine Angle: 21°

Magazine Capacity: 60-70

Dry Fire Lockout: Yes, with 5 nails remaining

Operating Pressure: 70 – 120 PSI

Selectable Trigger: Yes, flipper switch

Exhaust: Not adjustable

Weight: 7.39 lbs.

Length: 21-1/8″

Width: 4-1/2″

Height: 13-3/4″

Warranty: Lifetime Service Agreement

Price: $199

4th place, 89.7 points

Pros

Easy depth adjustment

Lightweight

Excellent toenailer

Excellent visibility around nose

Accepts nails up to 0.148″

Less than $200

Tool-free mode change

Cons

No major weaknesses

Final Verdict

Ridgid’s R350RHF is one of the best framing nailers for all-around performance, features, and price. While it doesn’t top every category, there aren’t any major weaknesses our team found during testing. Among the highlights are its light weight, ability to use nails a little thicker than most of the group, and incredibly fast rate of fire (8 nails per second). If there’s a negative here, it’s that the head is on the large side and may get in the way if you’re working in small spaces or tight corners.

Estwing Pneumatic 21° Full Head Framing Nailer with Padded Bag

Model: Estwing EFR2190

Power Source: Compressed air

Nail Length Range: 2″ to 3-1/2″

Nail Size: .113″ to 0.131″

Magazine Angle: 21°

Magazine Capacity: 55

Dry Fire Lockout: Yes, 4 nails remaining

Operating Pressure: 70-115 psi

Selectable Trigger: Yes, flipper switch

Exhaust: Not adjustable

Weight: 7.79 lbs

Length: 21″

Width: 4-1/8″

Height: 14-1/4″

Warranty: 5 years

Price: $177.39

3rd place, 92.1 points

Pros

Least expensive model tested

Easy depth adjustment

Excellent toenailer

Outstanding visibility around nose

Lightweight

Tool-free mode change

Cons

No major drawbacks

Final Verdict

This is our first rodeo with an Estwing nailer and we didn’t really know what to expect. However, this lightweight, $140 framing nailer puts on a good show with little disappointment in the performance department. The only thing we’re left with is to wonder how well it’s going to hold up over time compared to nailers that are $60 – $110 more expensive.

2nd place, 95.3 points

Pros

Cons

No dry fire lockout

No hang hook

Final Verdict

If you need a nailer that’s all about great ergonomics and driving power without a ton of bells and whistles or the price tag that comes with them, you’re not likely to find a better bet than the Hitachi NR90AE(S1).

1st place, 96.4 points

Pros

Cons

Nail strips at the large end of the range can hang up in the magazine from time to time

Final Verdict

Milwaukee hasn’t done a ton of marketing around the 7200-20 framing nailer, making us wonder what we were getting into when it showed up. But from the first nails we fired, it’s been an eye-opening ride. The weight comes in under 8 pounds, the balance is good, and it will keep up with any other nailer in our shootout in driving strength and toenailing. It also happens to have the most complete feature set to go along with it. The one thing we came across in testing is that the larger nails sometimes hang up in the magazine and need some extra encouragement to seat properly. While we’d like to see them slide all the way down on their own, this minor hiccup doesn’t prevent the Milwaukee 3-1/2′ Full Round Framing Nailer from earning the title of PTR’s Best Framing Nailer.

About The Author

An avid endurance athlete, Kenny has competed in triathlons (he's an Ironman) and various other fitness activities. Still, his passions lie with his faith, family, friends, and his love for well-designed power tools. With a background in science, you'll often find Kenny chatting up engineers at media events to get caught up on the latest tool technology.

The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

Subscribe

newestoldestmost voted

Notify of

Guest

Boy Wonder

Okay reality check on toenailing… Milwaukee 7200-20 NO (cant drive fastener completely) – Hitachi NR90AE(S1) NO (cant toe at all, the head is crap and gets no gription) – Ridgid R350RHF NO (cant drive fastener completely) – Bostitch F21PL2 YES (unfortunately the depth adjustment is crap and can only be used at full depth, [it will reset itself there at random], great for toenailing though

Vote Up0Vote Down Reply

15 days ago

Guest

Rob Eggers

Now throw out all nailers that won’t take 3 1/2″ .131.

Vote Up2Vote Down Reply

2 months ago

Guest

Fox & Associates

Why did you not include the Max framing nailer in the comparison test? Surely a worthwhile competitor?